“You’re probably right.” Lizzie lifted the box onto her lap. “So there’s no harm opening it.” She picked at the tape witha fingernail. “Go get a knife.”
Esther yanked the box from her sister’s lap and placed it at the foot of the bed. “We’re not opening it. We will give it toGus, and it will be up to him whether or not to tell us what’s inside.”
Lizzie glared at the box but didn’t reach for it again. She rolled her lip into a pout, even more pronounced without her denturesin. “I don’t like that idea, Esther.”
“I’m as curious as you are, but it just doesn’t feel right to open it.” She thought for a few moments. “What do we know aboutGus?” Before Lizzie had time to list Gus’s bad qualities, she said, “We know he has a dochder, but do you know if he was ever married?”
“I think Mamm mentioned it once, but I don’t remember for sure.” Lizzie pointed to the box. “There might be a marriage certificate in there.”
“The first year he had Thanksgiving with us, he mentioned he’d worked at a meat market and said that was why he should carvethe turkey.” Esther tapped a finger to her chin. “What else do we know about that man?”
“That he’s cranky, rude, and mean.” Lizzie huffed. “And he only cares about himself.”
Esther eyed the box as other memories came into her mind. “But he was also very gut to me during my medical tests and appointments.” She turned to Lizzie and widened her eyes. “And just this past week, he savedthat actress’s life by jumping in the water to rescue her.”
Lizzie fell back against her pillow and moaned again. “You give him way too much credit, and his dochder doesn’t seem to care for him either.”
Esther told Lizzie about Gus inviting Heather to the short screening of the movie clip. “I’m surprised she agreed to attendsince they fought so badly during her visit last year,” Esther said. She shivered as she recalled the vicious words fatherand daughter had thrown at each other.
“Maybe she thinks he’s getting money for being a background person.” Lizzie cackled. “We both know that mouthy boss man justgave Gus a role so he wouldn’t whine about the generators on those buses.”
Esther’s heart hurt for Gus. “I overheard Mr. Clarkson say he had no intention of including Gus in the movie background. Gus is going to be humiliated if his daughter is there just to see him in a movie.” She waited for Lizzie to laugh or make a snide remark, but her sister just twisted her mouth from side to side and stayed quiet.
“Maybe I should tell Gus what I overheard.” Esther recalled the way he pleaded with her to attend, saying how nervous he wouldbe without her there.
“Maybe.” Lizzie pressed her lips together.
Esther was surprised Lizzie wasn’t latching onto any information she could throw in Gus’s face. Maybe there was a tiny softspot for Gus buried somewhere in Lizzie’s psyche, even if she didn’t realize it.
“But what if I’m wrong or overheard incorrectly? I could be stirring up trouble for nothing.” Esther eyed the box, her temptationbubbling to a boil, but she was compelled to do what she believed was right in her heart. “Well, we are going to give thebox to him.”
Lizzie groaned like she was in misery. “Whatever’s in it might answer questions that have plagued us forever.”
Esther rolled onto her side and extinguished her lantern. She reread the card in the light still shining from Lizzie’s lantern,then put it and the envelope in the drawer of her nightstand. “I will give it to him tomorrow.”
Lizzie grumbled, but she extinguished her lantern too.
* * *
Evelyn woke up around three in the morning swatting at something flying around her room. She opened her eyes and realized she’d been dreaming. In a few hours she’d be picked up by Jayce and going inside Bluespring Caverns. Jayce was surely a nervous wreck, and he probably thought she was silly for being afraid of flying creatures, even butterflies. Maybe she should have explained why they frightened her. She had enough stories to justify her fears.
She rolled onto her side and laid an arm across the bed, briefly picturing Jayce beside her. It was a vision that would nevergo full circle, and a tinge of guilt wrapped around her for having such thoughts. It might have been his handsome featuresshe was attracted to first, but his vulnerability was refreshing as well. It couldn’t have been easy for him to tell her abouthis claustrophobia. She said another prayer that he’d do okay today, because he’d surely be embarrassed if he panicked. Sheadded another prayer for no bats too.
After finally drifting back to sleep, she ended up oversleeping and rushing to get dressed and downstairs. Her mother wascleaning the breakfast dishes when she walked into the kitchen. Her brothers had likely retreated upstairs, and Evelyn knewher father had climbed back in bed to read the newspaper, which he did every other Sunday when they didn’t have worship service.Her family truly observed the day of rest. Although today wouldn’t be peaceful for her or Jayce.
“Sorry, Mamm. I woke up in the middle of the night, and it took me a while to get back to sleep.”
“It’s Sunday. I suppose you’re excused.” Her mother stood by the sink and dunked a stack of dishes in the soapy water. “ButI see you’re dressed, complete with kapp and shoes and socks. Are you going out?” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “It’s still early.”
“Um, ya, I’m going out.” She bit her bottom lip and waited for the questions to come.
“Hmm . . .” Her mother didn’t turn around. “Are you off to see that boy?”
“Mamm, he’s not a boy. I told you that. And we’re just friends.”
“Ya, you told me. He’s a man, and you’re just friends. So where are you
